Funding Your Leadership Development

Invite others to invest in your development!

As a leader with a Christian nonprofit organization, yours is a unique calling that requires professional development. You need training that is both biblically consistent and practically relevant to leading with excellence in today’s world. That’s exactly why Christian Leadership Alliance is the place for a leaders like you to belong. For more than 40 years we have brought together top thought leaders in Christian ministry leadership, curating cutting edge ideas, knowledge and wisdom to uniquely equip you for success.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Outcomes Conference is the premier equipping event for Christian nonprofit leaders. It brings together leaders from across the country and around the world for professional development, community-building, inspired encouragement and Christ-like leadership training. Attendees consistently say that the investment and time yield a high-impact return.

Every session of the conference is developed by Alliance leaders for Alliance members. Each learning experience represents the best practices of experienced ministry practitioners, Christian thought leaders, and highly respected consultants. There is no other conference that focuses this deliberately on the business disciplines necessary to effectively operate a nonprofit organization!

PERSONAL SUPPORT

Here are 5 steps that will help you engage others and gain their financial support in order to advance your professional growth as a Christian nonprofit leader.

Identify 5 to 7 People

No doubt there is a circle of people who have encouraged you along the way. They know your story, observed your devotion to serving God, and have affirmed you are where He has called you to be! This is a real opportunity for them to financially demonstrate their belief in you.

Break It Down

Now it is time to break down the total financial investment of the conference event to create attractive investment opportunities for those who care most about you and your kingdom calling. Here is a sample of how you might break down the three-day leadership experience at The Outcomes Conference 2020.

Travel – the total costs related to your transportation.
Hotel – the total cost of your room less incidentals.
Food – daily per diem as defined by your ministry
Registration Fee – Total registration fee divided by three

Once you itemize each of these costs, you will see how quickly they can be broken down into increments that range from $100 to $500. And of course, you can tell them anything they are able to do is appreciated and makes a difference!

Craft the Ask

Share about where you are in your leadership development journey, and what additional training you feel you need to have a greater impact.
Insert your case for support by highlighting the scope of the event and the opportunity to receive highly practical training that you can implement immediately.
Then, communicate the break down of your financial needs for so you provide a clear and specific ask.
Provide clear direction on how they can make the donation.
Thank them for their prayerful consideration!
Make sure to reach out not only by email, but also with a follow-up phone call. It can help them to hear your heart and the reason you feel this training will benefit not only you, but the organization you serve.

Show Gratitude Quickly

As soon as you receive a donation – thank them immediately. Make a call, even if you have to leave a voice message is appreciated. And you can also send a text to say thanks and encourage them to visit their voice-mail box (don’t forget to identify yourself in the text.)

And always take a moment to write a handwritten note! Be sure to include where you are in your fundraising effort.

Report on Impact

After the event, write another note of thanks and share specifically what you learned and why it was of value to you and will be of value to your organization. Never underestimate the impact of this type of feedback!

Let them know their investment that will pay dividends in changed lives and Christ-honoring outcomes for the organization you serve!

Team Support

Today we have addressed what it looks like for an individual to gain personal support for professional development. But everything we have covered can also easily work for a ministry that longs to send a team of leaders to The Outcomes Conference. (And the best news is that a member organization that sends 4 individuals to the conference, gets a FREE registration for a 5^th team member.)

Wise investors know the impact of strong leadership on an organization.

Don’t deny them the opportunity to invest in you and yours.